Knowledge is Power

Chapter 48

As soon as Narcissa and Bellatrix were gone, Severus hurried back into his bedroom. Meeting Mag's silent worried gaze, he sighed and shrugged.
"I've got a plan."
She nodded.
"I figured you would," she replied, but her pensive expression said clearly that she was still worried.

"I need to talk to Albus. You can come along so I don't have to repeat this twice."
"I understand."
He could feel the grim set of his own mouth, and as Mag slipped her shoes on, he idly wondered how much worse this summer could get. Taking her hand he apparated to the edge of Hogwarts grounds. No one said a word as they walked toward the school, not even Nightshade.

Due to the late hour, Severus went directly to Albus's private chambers in the staff wing rather than to his office. The old headmaster opened to his knock almost instantly.
"What's happened," he asked, taking in the fact that Severus and Mag were both present with evident concern.
"Nothing we can't fix," Severus said and Albus ushered them in.
"That's always a good thing," he said with a slightly strained smile.
"Just a moment, I'll put some tea on."

Severus and Mag settled themselves into two of the large comfortable brown armchairs scattered around Albus's front room while the headmaster busied himself with the tea kettle.
"There are some twizzlers on the table there," he called from the little kitchenette.
"Feel free to help yourselves."
Neither Mag nor Severus was in a candy mood, so neither made a move for the bag of ropy looking red sweets.

As they waited, Severus collected his thoughts, arranging them in the order best presented to others.
"Sugar or honey," Albus called as the kettle began to whistle.
"Honey," Mag and Severus spoke at once.
The tension lifted as they looked at one another and smiled.
It was healthier than sugar and had a better flavor.
"I'll have the same," Albus said, attempting a light hearted tone to lift the mood as he so often did.

Soon he joined them with three cups of tea floating ahead of him. One went to Severus, one to Mag and Albus took the third as he settled into an arm chair across from Severus.
"Narcissa and Bellatrix came to my house tonight," he said. Albus's expression didn't change, but Mag's brows lifted in surprise, silent alarm in her green gaze.
Severus outlined the visit and the unbreakable vow he made to Narcissa.

"My plan is to help Draco by making it seem that he killed you. I thought we could work the particulars out on that together," he told Albus.
"It is my guess that if Draco truly believes he followed orders, my vow was kept, but just in case, I plan to have the goblin curse breaker take care of it for me. I'm not willing to risk death in case Slytherining around the vow doesn't work. For a moment I was torn between rising in the dark lord's graces by informing on Bellatrix and Narcissa or making the vow," he admitted with a sigh.

"I opted for the vow because they will keep trying to kill you and I won't risk it eventually working. If you pretend to be dead, you can work behind the scenes to help Potter and still fight against Voldemort. Potter will seem more vulnerable than he is and hopefully the dark lord will feel overly confident with the belief that you're gone and slip up."

Albus nodded.
"Sounds quite likely. You did well, Severus. You made the right choice. We'll sort it as you said."
"Will a curse breaker be able to rid you of an unbreakable vow, though," Mag asked.
"It certainly operates like a curse, if self inflicted, so I'd think so," Severus said.
His reasoning usually served him well and he hoped he'd gotten this one right, because if not they would have an opportunity to see if one could Slytherin around an unbreakable vow. Something interesting to learn from the side, certainly, but not so much from the inside, he thought dryly.

"Isn't it strange that Bellatrix was a part of this," Mag asked suddenly, and Severus nodded.
"Indeed. I thought as much at the time, and was sorely tempted to hand her to the dark lord. She's one of his precious favorites, and I'd have just loved to see that drama unfold," he admitted freely.
"It is a puzzle, though," Albus said with a thoughtful frown.
"Very unlike Bellatrix even for family loyalty due to her fanaticism when it comes to Voldemort."

//You know, Prof, you didn't ask me about that shit before you did it, cause I had thoughts,// Nightshade chastised.
//There was no time,// Severus thought back.
After a moment he added,//But what were your thoughts?//
//Well they started with hell no and ended with hell fuck no, so I hope that curse breaker can fix this shit,// Nightshade replied darkly.
Severus sighed. So did he. He resented Narcissa for bringing him into this. What made her think he'd help at such cost? What had emboldened her to push for an unbreakable vow rather than a mere promise? Again it wasn't as if they were close.

//She probably wanted the unbreakable so she'd not have to worry about you telling lizard brain,// Nightshade speculated and Severus nodded.
That made sense.
"If you're quite finished talking to your owl, I was wondering if you'd like to see the curse breaker tonight," Albus asked.

Severus started. How did he know?
//I didn't tell him, I swear,// he thought quickly, knowing how furious Nightshade would be that someone else knew his secret.
//I know, but how in the fuck,//
the owl began but Albus was speaking again before he could finish his thought.
"I've always known the owl had the intelligence of an acromantula at least. No other owl goes about with people the way he did with you, Mag. And the interactions with you and Severus. Severus didn't always bother to keep him invisible, and right now, though I admittedly can't see him, I can see Severus's expressions change while silently communicating...and the nodding really gives it away," the headmaster concluded with a chuckle.

"Please don't tell anyone. He doesn't want people knowing," Severus said hastily before Nightshade could start in.
"Of course," Albus agreed readily.
"We all have our secrets."
"What's yours," Severus asked suspiciously.
Albus laughed.
"That I'm not dead. It may not be a secret until it doesn't happen, but it should still count."

They all agreed, even Nightshade, that it most definitely counted.
"I think tomorrow should be early enough to visit the curse breaker," Severus said.
"If we disturb him at such a late hour, he's likely to charge more. I was wondering if I could borrow the money to cover his fee as it is rather about you," Severus asked Albus as delicately as possible.
"Of course you cannot borrow the money, dear boy. You're in this situation because of me, so I'm covering the fee."
Severus gave a relieved sigh.
"Thank you."

Albus shook his head of bushy white hair.
"No, thank you. After all you've done for me, it's the least I can do."

Mag and Severus spent the night at Hogwarts as they were already there, and with Albus, headed to the goblin curse breaker directly after breakfast.

//He better be able to fix this shit,// Nightshade warned darkly.
Mag had the curse breaker's business card and the address it held was in the goblin quarters in Hogsmeade. The house was small but glittering gems encrusted the runic door knocker. Severus supposed for the fees the goblin charged, he could afford to work at home. Fortunately he was in, and arched his brows when he saw the three of them on his doorstep.

"Did you get yourself cursed again already," he asked Albus in a complaining tone.
"Fortunately not," Albus said.
The goblin ushered them inside, an expression of mild curiosity on his face. When Severus explained that what he needed removed was an unbreakable vow, the curse breaker nearly nodded.
"So it's been done before," Severus asked and the goblin nodded again.
"That will be one thousand galleons."
When Albus readily agreed, the curse breaker placed his palms on Severus's chest and began speaking in a language the potions master had never heard before.

//What the fuck,// Nightshade exclaimed.
//That fucking energy behind whatever magic he's doing feels weird. I gotta go sit with Mags for this one in case it somehow accidentally fucks with me,// he said before launching off Severus's shoulder to land on Mag's.
They hadn't made him invisible for this trip because there was no reason to hide the fact they had an owl from the goblins.

//I only feel his hands on my chest,// Severus commented thoughtfully.
The owl was sensitive to energies which was interesting. Though Voldemort unnerved Severus, Nightshade felt far more from his energy as well. Knowing the man had removed most of his soul made Nightshade's reaction to him understandable in an entirely new way, though.

Unlike with Albus, the goblin didn't scream this time. Instead he just let out a breath and shuddered before stepping back.
"That one doesn't hurt nearly as much," he said.
"The removal of the vow won't be evident to the person he made it to or the one who helped them do it will it," Mag asked.

The goblin shook his head.
"It's not that sort of connection."
Turning to Severus, he gave a slight smile.
"You're home free."
Though Severus knew that until Voldemort was no more, that was never going to be completely true, the words were pleasing to hear nonetheless.